Delhi Police registers two FIRs over INDIA bloc march

The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs over the INDIA bloc’s march towards the Supreme Court on Monday, citing the absence of permission for the protest and alleged damage to police barricades using a truck.

The Indian Express reported that the FIRs were registered at Barakhamba Road and Tilak Marg police stations. The march was organised to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Congress-led “Chalo Delhi” march witnessed the participation of senior Opposition leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and CPI(M) leader M A Baby.

Thousands of supporters marched from Barakhamba Road towards the Supreme Court, raising slogans against the Election Commission and alleging irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. Senior Opposition leaders also jointly filed a petition in the Supreme Court over the alleged electoral irregularities and the functioning of the Election Commission.

The march followed days of protests in the national capital, including a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on October 10. During that protest, Delhi Police detained thousands of people, while more than 20 people were arrested and later granted bail.

Monday’s demonstration also came after Opposition leaders failed to secure a meeting with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to discuss their concerns over the police crackdown. The leaders had earlier met President Droupadi Murmu to raise their allegations concerning the electoral process.

Over the past 10 days, Delhi Police has registered more than two dozen FIRs at various police stations in central Delhi in connection with protests, alleged violence and violations of prohibitory orders.